Cuttack: Friends Colony in Cuttack is grappling with growing sanitation concerns as heaps of garbage are being dumped in the open by Cuttack Municipal Corporation’s workers. The situation has raised serious concerns about waste management practices and public health in the area.Large piles of mixed waste, including plastic, food leftovers and household garbage, were seen strewn along the roadside, attracting stray animals such as cows and dogs. “We are forced to live with this unbearable stench every day. Children and elderly people are most affected and no one from the authorities seems to be taking responsibility,” Soumendu Pani, a resident, said.“We are surprised the authorities are dumping waste here and despite repeated complaints, no one is concerned,” Pani added.“Sanitation workers routinely dump collected garbage at the spot instead of transporting it to designated disposal sites. The practice, they claim, has been continuing for weeks without any permanent solution from the civic authorities,” Chandan Singh, another resident, said.When asked, Cuttack mayor Subhash Singh said, “We have taken note of it and I have directed the sanitation officials concerned to clear the garbage and ensure that waste is transported only to authorised dumping yards. Strict action will be taken if any worker is found violating the norms.”The situation is particularly alarming near the community toilet of Thoria Sahi in Friends Colony, where the garbage has been dumped right beside the public facility, making the surroundings almost unbearable for residents and passers-by.“The stench from the decomposing waste, mixed with sewage from the toilet area, has created extremely unhygienic conditions, forcing people to cover their faces while passing through the stretch,” Alok Mohapatra, a resident of Thoria Sahi, said. “The area has become a breeding ground for flies, mosquitoes and stray animals, posing serious health risks and making it difficult to use the community toilet or even walk along the road,” Mohapatra added.Another resident, Subrat Behera, a retired professor of SCB Medical College and Hospital, said, “The open dumping is not only unsightly but also dangerous. Stray animals scatter the waste across the road, which creates traffic hazards and increases the risk of infections. This is happening right in front of our homes.”
